Method for ring winding yarn on a package and apparatus thereof

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for forming a package of yarn on a bobbin by ring winding wherein a yarn is advanced to a rotating package and wound thereon through a guide free to rotate around a ring being traversed back and forth along the package. The normal position of the plane of the ring with respect to the package axis is changed from a perpendicular to a tilted relationship during each traverse stroke as the traversing means moves through its reversals and is then returned to perpendicular throughout the remainder of the traverse stroke. A linkage mechanism, connected between the traversing means and the ring, mounts the ring for tilting movement and motive means actuated by the traversing means and operative for a predetermined time during a stroke imparts the tilting movement. The package formed is characterized by yarn windings which are laid down substantially parallel to each other in the central portion and in a crisscross helical pattern in the reversal portions of each layer of the package.

1 United States Patent Hartley, Jr.

[ METHOD FOR RING WINDING YARN ON A PACKAGE AND APPARATUS THEREOF [72] Inventor: Irby Ennis Hartley, Jr., Chattanooga, Tenn.

[73] Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, WilmingtomDel.

221 Filed: May 18,1970

21 Appl.No.: 38,106

[52] US. Cl. .....57/75, 57/99, 242/262, I 242/178 [51] Int. Cl ..DOlh 7/52, B65h 54/36 [58] Field of Search 26.1-26.4; 57/75, 99

[56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,205,384 6/1940 Abbott ..242/178 X 2,205,385 6/1940 Abbott ..242/175 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 200,972 12/ l 958 Austria ..57/75 168,864 3/ 1906 Germany ..57/75 183,616 4/1907 Germany ..57/75 1451 Nov, 14, 1972 800,555 8/ 1958 Great Britain ..57/75- 901,411 7/1962 Great Britain ..57/75 566,962 9/1957 Italy ..57/ 75 Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney-J-loward P. West, Jr.

1571 ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for forming a package of yarn on a bobbin by ring winding wherein a yarn is 'advanced to a rotating package and wound thereon through a guide free to rotate around a ring being traversed back and forth along the package. The normal position of the plane of the ring with respect to the package axis is changed from a perpendicular to a 'titledrelationship during each traverse stroke as the tra've'rsirfi'means'rn ovs t'hrough'its reversals and is then returned to perpendicular throughout the remainder of the traverse stroke. A linkage mechanism, connected between the traversing means and the ring, mounts the ring for tilting movement and motive means actuated by the traversing means and operative for a predetermined time during a stroke imparts the tilting movement. The package formed is characterized by yarn windings which are laid down substantially parallel to each other in the central portion and in a criss-cross helical pattern in the reversal portions of each layer of the package.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnuv 14 m2 SHEET 1 0F 2 4 8 F 3 w .0 V *ILAIIII 7 7 4 mm]: m 2 6 7 4 W; W ,5 3 46 U 3 S v T S a m 1 H X E Y 6 L P P I AU F s ATTORNEY PATENTEDmmmz 1 3,702,528

' sum 2 OF 2 Fl 6- 5 (prior art) Fl 6. 4(priorcrt) Ii l5 I INVENTOR IRBY ENNIS HARTLEY, JR.

BY W

ATTORNEY METHOD FOR RING WINDING YARN ON A PACKAGE AND APPARATUS THEREOF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to winding yarn on a bobbin. More particularly, it relates to improvements in yarn packages made on ring-twisters and a method and apparatus for winding such packages.

One example of this type of winding is the downtwisting following drawing of filaments spun from synthetic polymers on equipment using a spindle rotating about a vertical axis and carrying a bobbin, and a ring and traveler mounted in a traversing guide rail. Several rings are mounted in the guide rail which moves slowly in an up and down movement to distribute the yam along the bobbin. In a normal downtwist package winding, the rings throughout the winding cycle will be either consistently level or consistently tilted from the horizontal. The resulting winding patterns are described respectively as level and compound. The package formed in down-twisting is usually double tapered, i.e., having a generally cylindrical middle section and conically tapered end sections. Level wound packages are aesthetically pleasing in that the yarn coils lie in a parallel pattern. However, in this type of winding pattern, little protection is afforded the yarn on the tapered end sections of the package from enrollment damage during subsequent delivery from the package. By tilting the ring, a small but very rapid traverse motion is imposed on the wind; thus a compound wound package has a criss-cross yarn pattern which resists enrollment damage. However, this pattern on the surface of the cylindrical middle section of the package may allow the outermost wrap of yarn to fall from the package during interruptions in yarn delivery causing the yarn to break in subsequent start-up. Overall package appearance is less pleasing than for level wind and the problem of ribbons and resultant ridge formation when successive yarn wraps lie in or near synchronism may be introduced.

It would be desirable to provide a yarn package that incorporates the advantages of both the level and compound wind without the inherent disadvantages of either.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method of forming a package of yarn on a bobbin by ring winding that includes the steps of advancing the yarn to a rotating package through a guide that is free to rotate around a ring and traversingthe ring back and forth along the package in successive strokes. The plane of the ring is tilted away from and back to a normally fixed relationship with respect to the axis of the package during each stroke reversal. In the preferred embodiment, the normal fixed relationship is such that the plane of the ring is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the package and the ring is tilted about its center, the angle of tilt being in the range of from about 2 to about 6". A linkage mechanism, connected between the ring and the means for traversing the ring, mounts the ring for tilting movement and motive means coupled to the linkage mechanism and actuated by the traversing means imparts the tilting movement. ,The motive means is operative for a predetermined time during each stroke such that the package formed is characterized by yarn windings in layers of coils which are laid down substantially parallel to each other in the central portion and in criss-cross helical pattern in the reversal portions of the package.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the tilting of a guide rail on a multi-spindle down-twister.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic arrangement of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus used in the invention, including alternative methods of controlling ring tilting.

FIG. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of apparatus for tilting a guide rail.

FIGS. 4-6 show the appearance of the yarn coils on the upper portion of a typical double-tapered package of the invention as compared to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1--3, it will be seen that a conventional ring twister, modified in accordance with the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and generally includes a ring rail 12, a spinning ring 16 carrying a freely rotatable traveler guide 17 through which advancing yarn 11 passes to rotating package 15 being wound on bobbin 13 carried by spindle 10.

As indicated in FIG. 1, a plurality of winding positions are normally carried by guide rail 12 and a vertical reciprocable package builder motion is imparted to the rail through a lifter rod 44 by conventional means well known in the art of ring spinning to traverse the ring back and forth along the package in successive strokes to form the yarn package 15.

Each ring 16 is set in rail 12 individually either level or at a fixed tilt angle. In accordance with the present invention, each ring 16 is set level in rail 12 and the rail is tilted around a longitudinal axis 14 during each stroke reversal as schematically illustrated by the two positions of the rail shown. The lower position of the rail 12 indicates yarn winding an initial layer of the package 15.

FIG. 2 shows the guide rail mounting 42 at the head of lifter rod 44 of a conventional down twister modified to implement the principle of a programmed ring tilt. The mechanism for providing pivotal or tilting action of the guide rail 12 includes a pneumatic cylinder 34 pivotally mounted at pin 67 to the guide rail mounting 42, and a cam 46 rigidly fixed to the mounting 42. Rollers 40 are rotatably mounted in block 38 to follow the cam 46. The guide rail 12 containing rings 16 is attached to block 38 which, in turn, is pivotally connected to piston 36 of pneumatic cylinder 34 at pin 70.

A typical ring twister may utilize a heart-shaped builder cam 18 of the type shown in FIG. 2 coupled to lifter rod 44 to control the speed, and acceleration of a guide rail 12 to produce a twisted package. The operation of the present invention requires the use of means to control the sequence, extent and duration of tilt and return to a level position. Tilting of the twist ring should occur near the points of rail reversal to give the improved package of the invention. The signal for the ring to tilt can be obtained from rotating cam 18 or from its shaft 22 or from any other component geared to the cam rotation.

In order to use the rotating cam shaft 22 as the source of the signal for tilt, small lobes 20 are attached to the cam shaft and positioned to coincide with the cam reversal points 24, 26. A switch 28 in the power supply line to solenoid 52 is mounted to close when its arm 30 is displaced by the rotating lobes. Each time the switch 28 closes during ring rail reversal, an air control valve 32 is actuated by solenoid 52 causing the piston 36 of air cylinder 34 on rail mounting 42 to move upward which tilts the rail 12 by the upward movement of guide block 38 constrained to follow the arcuate contour of the cam 46 by cam rollers 40. The degree of tilt is detennined by the throw of the piston 36. The tilt action of the ring extends the rail stroke slightly causing the yarn in the reversal area laid down in the previous traverse in a diminishing stroke wind to be covered and protected by rapidly traversing yarn guided in a helical path by the up and down motion of the traveler in its rotation around the tilted ring. The time duration of the tilt period is regulated by an adjustable time-delay relay 50 of known design so that the helical windings are preferably restricted to a maximum band width of about one-eighth inch in each reversal. At expiration of the time-delay, the circuit to the air valve 32 is opened and the ring rail 12 is returned to a level position until the rail approaches the opposite reversal point whereupon the tilt cycle is repeated.

The operation of a rail tilt program on down twisters of the hydraulic lifter type is generally identical to the above except that, as FIG. 2 illustrates, the signal for tilt is obtained from an electrical relay 68 used to reverse the hydraulically controlled rail drive system.

The resulting winding patterns on the tapered end 56 and on the cylindrical (or slightly tapered) barrel 58 of a yarn package of the invention are represented in FIG. 6. By comparison with the prior art represented in FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen that the yarn package of this invention incorporates both the criss-cross and the parallel yarn winding pattern of the respective prior art packages 15 and 15" without the inherent disadvantages of either. The barrel section 58 of the winding is level wound and thus ribbonless and ridgeless and aesthetically pleasing. The stability of the tapered end 56 of the package is improved by the criss-cross helical pattern and the package shows a marked reduction in sloughing of the type which results from an enrollment disturbance caused by the movement of the yarn coils on the package tapers toward the ends of the bobbin induced by external means such as manual handling or by the yarn delivering from the package. It will be appreciated that the extent of the criss-cross helical winding pattern in any given layer of the winding will be present in only the yarn laid down while the ring is tilted which in the preferred embodiment is near the reversal where the guide rail changes direction in its reciprocating motion controlled by the heart-shaped or builder cam or the hydraulic rail control system of FIG. 2. The time duration of the tilt period may be controlled by any suitable means which provides a signal actuating a solenoid 52 to open the air control valve 32 delivering air to the cylinder 34. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the rings 16 are caused to tilt in rapid flip-flop fashion around a line indicated by point 14 which intersects the axes of the spindles. This motion is controlled by the contour of cam 46 whose arcuate curvature has point 14 as a center. An alternate arrangement for tilting the rings is shown in FIG. 3 in which the point at which the rail pivots is at pin 48 which pivotally connects the guide rail 12 containing ring 16 to the fixed rail portion 62. The latter is rigidly carried by the lifter rod 44. Air cylinder 34' mounted on the fixed rail portion 62 pivots the rail 12 as shown by the arrow when its piston 36' pivotally attached at pin 64 to upstanding rib 66 is actuated by air from an air valve in control systems such as either of those illustrated in FIG. 2.

Alternate means to establish tilt timing and duration on a cam-traversed twister include limit switches actuated by the existing traverse system either directly from the primary builder cam or from an idler driven from this cam by a geared belt. The duration of the signal for tilt can be controlled by the shape of the contacts used to depress the limit switches and by adjustable mounting of these contacts. Precise timing of the tilt may be achieved by gearing the rotation of the idler in an exact 2-to-I speed increase to the primary cam so that tilt actuation precisely apart is assured. The direction of tilt-for example, downward at the bottom reversal and upward at the top reversal as desiredcan be controlled by the use of a three-position air cylinder providing up, level, and down" ring positions. The duration of winding in the tilted configuration is in part dependent on the machine speeds used, but at high machine speeds should be the minimum which permits smooth tilt operation. Package appearance is enhanced by keeping the extent of the cross-wound sections to a minimum. The angle of tilt usually desired is between 2 and 4, up to a maximum of about 6.

This invention is most used in the preparation of down twist packages having cylindrical barrels but is not limited thereto. The barrel may be tapered which may be accomplished by known means by gradually increasing the speed of the ring rail as it proceeds upward from its bottom reversal then gradually reducing the speed of the rail in a reciprocal fashion on its downward stroke, the length of each stroke of the guide rail being incrementally reduced while the yarn is being wound on the package. The advantages of the programmed tilt ring package can be utilized also on the lower taper of filling wind packages or in any combination of windings where surface yarn on the taper is subjected to external damage and cannot be readily stripped from the package. The invention is most useful in the operation of a drawtwister but is not so limited.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method for forming a package of yarn on a bobbin by ring winding including the steps of advancing the yarn to a rotating package through a traveler guide which is free to rotate around a ring, and traversing the ring back and forth in successive strokes from one end to the other of the package, the improvement comprising: pivotally moving the ring away from and back to a plane having a substantially perpendicular relationship with respect to said axis during the formation of the ends of the package.

2. The method of claim 1, the plane of said ring being moved away from and back to said perpendicular relationship during each of said strokes, the movement of said plane being initiated as the ring passes through a stroke reversal.

3. The method of claim 1, the movement away from said perpendicular relationship being from about 2 to about 6.

, traveler guide that is free to rotate around a horizontally disposed ring, rotating the package and traversing the ring axially of the package in successive upward and downward strokes, the improvement comprising: tilting the plane of the ring upward during the upward stroke reversal then after a predetermined time, returning the plane of the ring to its substantially perpendicular relationship with respect to said axis; and tilting the plane of the ring downward during the downward stroke reversal then after a predetermined period of time returning the plane of the ring to its substantially perpendicular relationship with respect to said axis.

5. The method of claim 4, said plane of the ring being tilted in the range of from about 2 to about 6 about the midpoint of-the ring.

6. In a ring winding apparatus of the type that includes an elongated driven spindle, a package support on said spindle, a guide freely coupled to and for rotation around a ring concentric with said spindle through which yarn advances to the support and means coupled to said ring for traversing it axially from one end to the other of the package in successive upward and- 

1. In a method for forming a package of yarn on a bobbin by ring winding including the steps of advancing the yarn to a rotating package through a traveler guide which is free to rotate around a ring, and traversing the ring back and forth in successive strokes from one end to the other of the package, the improvement comprising: pivotally moving the ring away from and back to a plane having a substantially perpendicular relationship with respect to said axis during the formation of the ends of the package.
 2. The method of claim 1, the plane of said ring being moved away from and back to said perpendicular relationship during each of said strokes, the movement of said plane being initiated as the ring passes through a stroke reversal.
 3. The method of claim 1, the movement away from said perpendicular relationship being from about 2* to about 6*.
 4. In a method for forming a package of yarn on a bobbin by ring winding including the steps of advancing the yarn to a vertically oriented package through a traveler guide that is free to rotate around a horizontally disposed ring, rotating the package and traversing the ring axially of the package in successive upward and downward strokes, the improvement comprising: tilting the plane of the ring upward during the upward stroke reversal then after a predetermined time, returning the plane of the ring to its substantially perpendicular relationship with respect to said axis; and tilting the plane of the ring downward during the downward stroke reversal then after a predetermined period of time returning the plane of the ring to its substantially perpendicular relationship with respeCt to said axis.
 5. The method of claim 4, said plane of the ring being tilted in the range of from about 2* to about 6* about the midpoint of the ring.
 6. In a ring winding apparatus of the type that includes an elongated driven spindle, a package support on said spindle, a guide freely coupled to and for rotation around a ring concentric with said spindle through which yarn advances to the support and means coupled to said ring for traversing it axially from one end to the other of the package in successive upward and downward strokes, the improvement comprising: a linkage mechanism mounting said ring to said traversing means for tilting movement of said ring into and out from a plane perpendicular with the spindle axis; and motive means coupled to said linkage mechanism and actuated by said traversing means for imparting said tilting movement during formation of the ends of the package.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, said linkage mechanism mounting said ring for tilting movement about the center line of said ring. 